Everyday in the United States, a vehicle is illegally taken every twenty one minutes. Often times to be used in far more serious crimes. The sheer cost involved with investigating automotive theft, costs the tax payers billions of dollars each year.This crime also drives up insurance premiums for all car owners. As such, auto theft prevention is something we should all be very much concerned with.
Other than the obvious monetary loss, having your vehicle taken can be an extremely traumatic event.We all become attached to our cars, i even know people who name their cars. There may also be things of sentimental value inside, when your vehicle is stolen.Plus there is just the sheer inconvenience it will cause.
Auto theft can occur at anytime,and anywhere. But there are many ways that you can reduce,or eliminate your chances of having your car stolen. The rest of this article will feature preventive tips, provided by the leading security experts, and Police Department’s from across the country.
Believe it or not,a surprising number of cars are stolen because they are left unattended and running.Many people feel that it is too much of an inconvenience to lock their car and set the alarm, if they are only going to be in the store for a minute.This is a huge mistake. Even if your errand only takes a minute, it will only take an opportunistic car thief thirty seconds,to steal your car and be four blocks away, before you return.I know it is a hassle, but whenever leaving a vehicle, you should always switch off the engine, remove the ignition key, close windows and lock the doors…make this a habit.
As we discussed earlier, whenever you park your car,it should be in a locked,and if you have a car alarm,use it.Ideally you should always try to park your car in a monitored,and patrolled parking lot or garage.Nothing is foolproof, but a car thief knows that these areas are under surveillance, and may not want to risk it. Even when parked in a garage or lot, you still need to secure anything of value that is visible in your car.Parking your car in a secure lot may prevent your car from being stolen, but it really offers no protection against petty theft.All a opportunistic thief needs is a few seconds and your valuables are gone.
You need to be sure that no personal documents, identification papers or bank statements are kept in the vehicle.As bad as the problem of auto theft is, identity theft can be just as bad.With the information that can be found in some car owners glove boxes, a thief may not even need to steal the car, it may be just as profitable opening lines of credit in the owners name.
If it is not possible to park in a garage or a secure lot, you should park in a high traffic area, with lots of foot traffic.Even a proffesional car thief will need a few minutes of privacy to steal your car.He does not want risk a passerby questioning him about his actions, or even worse the owner of the car catching him in the act.When parking at night it is also important to pick a well lit spot
The market is flooded with hundreds of mechanical and electronic auto theft prevention devices.The most basic of these is the steering wheel lock, which is a bar that attaches to the steering wheel, and immobilizes it.There are also devices that are variations of this basic concept, and attach to the gear shift, and the gas pedals.
It would be impossible for me to fully describe all of the automotive security products currently on the market.They include everything from motion activated alarms, to devices that cut off the fuel supply, and disable the electrical system. What i can tell you is that a professional car thief can bypass all of them, so it may be in your best interest to deny him the chance to work his magic.
There may come a time,when despite your best efforts your car is stolen.We now have to shift our focus from theft prevention, to recovery. The Lojack is a automotive security device with a outstanding track record of vehicle recovery.It is a GPS tracking device that is hidden somewhere in your car.Once your car has been reported stolen a tracking beacon is activated, that local law enforcement can use to find your vehicle.
Another way of recovering your vehicle, is by etching the Vehicle Identification Number on key part of your automobile.While this method is no where as effective as the Lojack system, it can lead to your car being recovered.
Stopping car theft is more than installing the latest car alarm, it is about developing security habits that make it harder to be victimized.